Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an in-wheel motor used for a drive wheel of an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or the like, and to an in-wheel motor driving device having the in-wheel motor incorporated therein.
Description of Related Art
An in-wheel motor is provided together with a power transmission mechanism and the like in a limited space under a spring, or below a suspension device. Therefore, the axial dimension is desired to be as short as possible. An in-wheel motor is often combined with a reducer or reduction gear and the like, to be configured as an in-wheel motor driving device. In this case, the axial dimension is required to be further reduced.
As technical solution to reduce the axial dimension of an in-wheel motor driving device having the in-wheel motor and the reducer in combination, Patent Document 1 proposes the structure of an aluminum alloy housing in which housing portions of the reducer side and the in-wheel motor side are integrated and a wheel hub bearing is fixed to an outboard-side end surface member fitted to an outboard-side end face of the housing.
Patent Document 2 proposes a motor support structure for the hybrid electric vehicle or the like, in which a rotational sensor is provided on the outer diameter side in the radial direction of a rotor support bearing, thereby reducing the axial length of the entire motor.